平静了一阵子的《动物庄园》，又赢来了第二次战斗，这次人类带着势在必得的气势返回了庄园，而动物们似乎也早有准备，这场战役会以谁的胜利而告终呢，我们拭目以待。

　　Animal Farm

　　Chapter 4-Part Two (1)

　　前情&单词回顾

　　Animal Farm Chapter 4-Part One (2)

　　Early in October, when the corn was cut and stacked and some of it was already threshed, a flight of pigeons came whirling through the air and alighted in the yard of Animal Farm in the wildest excitement. Jones and all his men, with half a dozen others from Foxwood and Pinchfield, had entered the five-barred gate and were coming up the cart-track that led to the farm.They were all carrying sticks, except Jones, who was marching ahead with a gun in his hands.Obviously they were going to attempt the recapture of the farm.

　　十月初，谷物收好了，有些已经脱粒，有群鸽子从空中飞舞而来，落在动物农场的院子里，显得特别兴奋。原来琼斯和他的几个帮工，还有狐狸林和瘦田的六七个人，已经闯进那道钉着五根横木的大门，正沿着马车道向农场走过来。他们都抓着木棒，只有琼斯除外，他拿着枪冲在最前面。他们显然是准备夺回农场来的。

　　1.alight [??la?t] vi.降落; 下来; 飞落; 偶然发现，碰到; adj. 点着的，点亮的; 烧着的，烧起的

　　2.march [mɑ:rt?] vi. （坚定地向某地） 前进; 行军，进军; 游行示威

　　3.recapture [ri?kæpt??] vt.重温; 重新捕获[夺回]; n. 重新捕获; 再次体验

　　This had long been expected, and all preparations had been made. Snowball, who had studied an old book of Julius Caesar's campaigns which he had found in the farmhouse, was in charge of the defensive operations.He gave his orders quickly, and in a couple of minutes every animal was at his post.

　　这早在动物的预料之中，他们已经做好各种准备。雪球研究过他在主楼找到的一本描述恺撒大帝如何打仗的旧书，因而负责指挥这场保卫战。他赶紧发布命令，几分钟内所有动物都已就位。

　　4.campaign [kæm?pen] n.运动; 战役; 竞选运动; 季节性竞赛; vi. 作战; 参加竞选; 参战

　　5.defensive [d??f?ns?v] adj. 防御用的，防守的; 辩护的; 自卫的; n.守势; 辩护

　　As the human beings approached the farm buildings, Snowball launched his first attack. All the pigeons, to the number of thirty-five, flew to and fro over the men's heads and muted upon them from mid-air;and while the men were dealing with this, the geese, who had been hiding behind the hedge, rushed out and pecked viciously at the calves of their legs.However, this was only a light skirmishing manoeuvre, intended to create a little disorder, and the men easily drove the geese off with their sticks.

　　眼看那些人就要接近农场的建筑区，雪球发动了第一波攻击。全体鸽子——多达三十五只——在那些人头顶盘旋，从空中把屎拉到他们身上；当那群人手忙脚乱地应付这个局面时，藏身篱笆后面的鹅群冲了出来，猛烈地去啄他们的小腿肚。然而这只是个诱敌之计，目的在于制造小小的混乱，那些人挥动木棒，轻而易举地将鹅群赶跑了。

　　6.launch [l?nt?, lɑnt?] vt.发射; 发动; 开始（应用程序）; 开展; vi.投入; 着手进行; 热衷于…

　　7.peck [p?k] vt.啄，啄食; 啄出，啄穿

　　8.viciously ['v???sl?] adv.邪恶地，敌意地

　　9.calves [kævz] n. 小腿肚 (calf的复数)

　　10.skirmish [?sk?:rm??] n.小冲突; 小规模战斗;

　　v. 参与小争斗; 进行小争论; 搜索; 侦察;

　　11.manoeuvre [m??nuv?, -?nju-] n. 操纵; 技术动作; 策略，巧计; 花招，伎俩

　　12.disorder [d?s??:rd?(r)] n.混乱，凌乱; 动乱，骚乱

　　Snowball now launched his second line of attack.Muriel, Benjamin, and all the sheep, with Snowball at the head of them, rushed forward and prodded and butted the men from every side, while Benjamin turned around and lashed at them with his small hoofs.But once again the men, with their sticks and their hobnailed boots, were too strong for them;and suddenly, at a squeal from Snowball, which was the signal for retreat, all the animals turned and fled through the gateway into the yard.

　　这时雪球发起了第二次进攻。穆丽埃、本杰明、全体山羊和冲在最前面的雪球向前猛奔，从四面八方袭击那些人，本杰明还转过身，用他两只瘦小的后蹄去踢他们。但这次还是打不过那些人，因为他们手里拿着木棒，脚上穿着钉鞋；雪球突然尖叫一声，这是撤退的信号，所有动物转身就跑，从大门口逃进院子。

　　13.prod [prɑ:d] n. 刺针，刺棒; 刺激，激励;

　　vt. 刺激; 捅; 促使…行动

　　14.butt [b?t] vt. 用头撞或顶; 碰撞

　　15.hobnailed ['h?b?ne?ld] adj.土头土脑; 钉有平头钉的，乡下的